Saving Sakura
by Jaspers-Girl-and-u-no-it
Summary: When team seven is ambushed near the village on their return from an escort mission, Sasuke and Naruto are unconcsious and Sakura is ready to end her life for everyone. When Rock Lee saves them all, will it change how Sakura looks at the determined boy?
1. Chapter 1

Team seven walked through the dim, green woods hurriedly. They were anxious to be back home, as it had been weeks since they had last glimpsed at their beloved Konoha. They happened to be returning from an escort mission, in which they had been paid handsomely to bring the Waterfall Village's leader home safely.

Sakura watched on in mild amusement as blond-haired Naruto, and raven-haired Sasuke bickered over who had been the greatest asset in this recent mission.

"Sorry, Sasuke, but Naruto _did_ carry the man most of the way there when he was tired." Both boys shut up at once, giving her a funny look. She shrugged, smiling at their confusion. They just didn't seem to be able to wrap their minds around how her long-lasting infatuation over Sasuke could have disappeared so abruptly. Sakura half suspected that her loss in interest regarding Sasuke was mostly thanks to Ino. Ever since Ino gave up on Sasuke and agreed to go out with Chouji, Sakura hadn't really had anyone worth competing with, and her juvenile little crush had dwindled to nothing.

The young shinobi fingered her short, pink hair absently. She wasn't quite sure why she kept it short even months after it had been originally cut off, but she figured it must have had something to do with her new, rebellious attitude she'd taken on. Finally, she no longer felt as though she was the weakest link in the team. She felt as an equal.

The boys, she noticed, had gone back to arguing, and she considered punching them to silence their annoying argument. Without Kakashi—who had returned a week ago (Sakura found it hard to believe that such a simple mission had taken almost three weeks total) at a summons from Konoha—there was no one else but her to quiet the near constant fights between the hot-headed boys.

They were nearing the village, the landscape familiar. Sakura could tell just from memory that the training grounds where she had been spending a considerable amount of time recently, were just about a mile east of them. The team picked up speed, eager to be home. Their excitement clouded their senses, so none of them noticed the ninjas that were following close behind.

Sakura suddenly felt a sharp ripping pain, searing her muscles as she fell, blood spreading from a kunai that was now deeply embedded in her back. She struggled to stand, while both Naruto and Sasuke fought fiercely against what were roughly five people who were completely shrouded in black.

"Sakura!" shouted her blond teammate, his voice laced with worry. She nodded in reassurance as she barely suppressed a moan of pain. The knife was wedged beneath her shoulder-blade, and she reached back with her opposite arm, curling her fingers around it tightly. A shrill scream was heard above the other sounds of battle as it pierced the air. She had ripped the kunai from her body, tearing at her raw muscles. Both of her teammates turned to glance at her with worry etched clearly in their features, their distraction once again giving the enemy an advantage. The two remaining enemies took the chance given to them, rendering both boys unconscious with heavy blows to each of their heads in turn. They both crumpled into twin heaps, and the people turned to take her out.

The pain in her back was not easily ignored as she retrieved and gripped several throwing stars from the pouch at her lower back. When she threw them, her breath caught in a strangled cry, and she fell once again into a ball of pain. The black figures easily deflected the offending weapons, and started towards her limp form.

"What is the password to the gate?" asked one of the frightening people, their deep voice suggesting that he was a male.

"No," she spat defiantly, not about to give them a way into the village. Only citizens of the Hidden Leaf Village knew the password that was required to enter the village, and a visitor had to be vouched for by a resident. Sakura held her tongue, determined to keep her home safe.

"Then we'll just have to make you tell us, because I don't believe the password is 'no,'" promised an unmistakably feminine voice. A foot connected solidly with her ribs, but though she felt some of them crack, she merely gritted her teeth against the searing pain. It now hurt even just to breathe, but she refused to give up the password.

Fists connected with her face again and again, until her nose was shattered and her vision swam with stars. Afraid she would accidentally betray her village if this continued any longer, Sakura removed a kunai from a different pouch then she had earlier pulled the throwing stars. Her attackers looked on in amusement, wondering if she was really going to try and fight back, rather than just giving in. Oh, she was fighting back all right. Just not in the way they thought. With one last longing look at her unconscious friends, she brought the kunai to her chest, and pulled back to build up the force she needed to puncture her heart.

Suddenly, the wind seemed to pick up for a mere second, blowing the weapon and the enemy ninjas away. Sakura vaguely wondered what the quick green blur that crossed her vision was, or if it was even real. Then, she let the darkness that had control over her team claim her, and temporarily erase all of her pain.


	2. Chapter 2

Everything felt strange, faded almost. Like nothing was real, everything lacking physical structure. Sakura was faintly aware that she was breathing, that her _body_ was breathing, but wasn't able to control her bodily functions. Numbness filled her being, and she wondered briefly if she had died. The dull throbbing pain that lingered just outside of her senses suggested otherwise, and she determined that she must be in a coma. Her heart weakly thumped out a disjointed rhythm, a sign that she was still alive, if only just.

She wondered how long she had been this way, but her brain seemed disconnected, her thoughts distant and disinterested. Time was impossible to pin down or estimate in this unconscious state, and always having based her life as a ninja on timing, she found this extremely unnerving.

Her body convulsed as a sharp crack of pain shot through her torso, bending over slightly before falling back to the table, as if trying and failing to hold itself together. There was a smattering of voices on the edge of her conscious, but Sakura couldn't be bothered to pay close attention to what was being said. The only details picked up were the volumes and tones of the many voices. One was loud, deep and commanding. _It most likely belongs to the head doctor_, she reasoned. Another was a high soprano, soft and comforting. It was continually sounding apologetic and spiteful, suggesting that it belonged to a nurse. Lastly, there was a voice seeming to be alto bordering baritone. The voice held a melodic quality, drifting through her like a warm breeze.

"Lee?" As soon as she managed to find a break through the thick fog encasing her, all of her numbness seemed to melt away all at once. Sakura didn't necessarily pride herself in her ability to withstand pain, but she had never believed herself excessively weak before either. She fought back a scream as wave after wave of agonizing pain seared through her from the top of her head down to her aching toes, which curled in intense discomfort. With her eyes squeezed tight as they were to block out the pain, it was obvious to anyone looking that she wasn't exactly having a field day, and would greatly appreciate a knock on the head to disorient her or knock her out.

"Sakura!" the calming voice yelled worriedly. Lee's voice was strained, and rough with concern. A large, warm hand came down to rest on her forehead, and she made herself focus on its weight in order to ignore the blinding pain that consumed her. Wincing in pain, she forcefully pulled a hand out from under the paper-thin, hospital-issue sheets, and placed it gingerly atop the one resting on her forehead. Sighing contentedly, Sakura felt the world beginning to slip away once again, numbing her pain and letting the merciful darkness claim her.

She was drifting again, her body lost to her but for one, warm point on her forehead, which remained fragmented seconds longer than the rest of her body, letting the comforting hand atop it linger until last.

Then she exhaled and everything was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

As keeping track of time was near impossible, Sakura wasn't quite sure how long she lay there drifting, nor was she aware of how many times exactly she had woken up. The count was lost almost immediately, forgetting numbers too easy in this awkward state. One thing she was certain of, though, was the presence that never once left or even wavered. The potent mixture of strength and sorrow radiating from the boy beside her overpowered her, filling her with a strong desperation to open her eyes if only to reassure her constant visitor. The determination, the energy was unmistakable as anyone but Rock Lee's, so it was really no question as to who was always with her. Mentally sighing, she wished that Lee would go home at least to sleep, get cleaned up and eat some real food, not just the food the nurses always seemed to be bringing him. Another reason she wanted him gone, was so he couldn't see her this way. As weak and useless as she was, she didn't want this image of her sticking in anyone's minds, and seeing how Lee had taken the job of protector so willingly, she had a feeling that having him seeing her as weak and vulnerable, more so than he, no doubt, already did wasn't going to be good as soon as she was out of here.

Deep down, though, she also wanted him to stay. Sakura had no wish to be alone, even if it meant someone, especially Lee, saw her in this filthy, vulnerable, bed wetting vegetable. She could almost feel how her cheeks would have heated with embarrassment had she not been unconscious. The idea that she was, ahem, _messing_ herself and there was nothing she could do about it wasn't exactly a pleasant idea. In fact, it made her wish for a fraction of a second that the ever-present blackness hovering just out of reach would swallow her completely, permanently.

Having Lee there was kind of annoying actually. She couldn't wish even for a second that she could have died in that battle rather than endure this sometimes excruciating pain, and even worse, this embarrassment and vulnerability. The second that dark thought would cross her mind, a warm, salty tear would strike her face, bringing her conscious forth for just long enough for her to feel a warm hand gently swipe it from her cheek, lingering briefly—much too briefly if she could have had a say in anything. As soon as that wet drop would touch her skin, she would feel immensely guilty for even have letting it briefly cross her mind, and would force it back.

The boredom of this vegetative state was beginning to get to her. Scratch that, it had been getting to her for a _long_ time. Playing strategy games with herself within the confines of her mind was losing its appeal fast, and the boredom was quickly becoming worse than the embarrassment of her current situation.

A dark thought had just barely made its way into the front of her mind when the regular salty invasion landed on her cheek. The agitation of not being able to do something as simple as wipe water off her cheek, or even move a single body part, that had been building for some time now finally bubbled over violently.

"For God's sake! Would you stop crying already? I'm fine!" Her eyes fluttered open in shock, meeting depthless ebony orbs that were equally shocked if not more, and slightly hurt. Sakura's hand came up to cover her mouth in shock out of reflex, and she swallowed a moan that threatened to escape her pursed lips. Her body had been out of service for long enough that it hurt to move, and she was extremely stiff. Leaning her head to the side in an attempt to loosen her tense muscles, she let her hand drop to the bed and tried unsuccessfully to pull herself up into a seated position. The boy beside her lacked his usual playful look, the shock and joy flooding his eyes in a sudden tumult.

"Ouch!" she hissed loudly, letting her body drop when the muscles in her back screamed in protest. She let out some other, more colorful words to express her agony, earning her wide-eyed surprise from Lee. Speaking of Lee… His bowl cut was shaggy and unkempt, and it was sort of… sexy? Yes, it was sexy. Sakura nearly yelped as the surprise of her traitorous thoughts shot through her. Sexy? Honestly!

"Sakura!" His voice washed over her in reassuring waves as the pain in her back made her nauseous. She waved him away, feeling cut by the pained, confused look in his eyes that melted into understanding and concern as she heaved where he had been standing only moments before. Studying the vomit, she noticed it was mostly water, her stomach being empty. Finding it weird and gross that she was examining her own bile, she turned away quickly, her stomach rolling again as she grunted in pain. Her back felt as though white hot rods were being stabbed into it, and she suddenly remembered when she had been stabbed during the battle. The battle!

"Are they alright?" she asked anxiously, breathless with agony. Lee only nodded and she instantly collapsed, smiling gently. "Thank you, Lee." She whispered softly, the blackness sucking her down under once again. Reaching out with her last bit of strength, Sakura searched with her fingers until she found his hand resting on her bed and gripped it as tightly as she could.

"You're very welcome," he responded softly, tenderly stroking the hand she wasn't holding across her forehead once before moving it down to cup her cheek. "You should sleep." Sakura tried to nod, but wasn't sure if she succeeded before blackness overtook her vision and her body disappeared once again.


	4. Chapter 4

When Sakura finally managed to break the oppressive shroud of unconsciousness once again, she became immediately aware that something was very wrong. It only took a moment for her to realize, though, that the problem had to do with a certain someone, or a lack-there-of.

"Lee?" she whimpered pathetically, peeling apart her eyelids to scan the dark room frantically. Lee was nowhere to be seen, and Sakura began to panic, her heart speeding dangerously. The once numbing pain in her back was much fainter now, more of a nuisance then real pain, so she pulled herself from her bed. Limping slightly, Sakura made her way over to her window and drew back the curtain. Immediately, she understood why her seemingly constant visitor wasn't with her.

Acrid smoke filled her lungs as she leaned out the window. Coughing violently, she winced at the pull of her weary muscles. A whole city block was ablaze, the orange flames swallowing much of her beloved village. There were various dark shapes that flitted across the village, colliding occasionally. Sakura sucked in a breath as she watched the battle below.

Rogue ninjas were everywhere, setting fire to buildings and fighting with Konoha shinobi. A shrill beeping flooded her room, and she jerked her head towards her door, where black smoke was curling around her door like a lover's embrace. Sakura quickly leaned forward, stretching out all her muscles, before throwing on her slightly tattered, bloodstained clothes and weapon belt and sprinting out the door. That's when the sprinklers went off.

The hallway was chaos, with patients who could walk running in a confused mass, and those who couldn't being pushed by nurses on gurneys. The harsh spray of the sprinklers made it hard to see where you were going. Judging by the way many people were rushing away from the stairs, the fire was on the floor below. Thinking quickly, Sakura cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled.

"Get to the roof! I'll get you down from there!" Some people immediately froze, but soon were caught up in a wave of bodies who were doing as Sakura had said. Fighting her way against the crowd, she struggled to reach the stair well. Once there, she began sprinting down the stairs and right into the fire.

Covering her mouth and nose with her hand, Sakura burst through the door at the next floor and quickly surveyed her surroundings. Angry flames licked their way up the curtains, and were busy consuming files at the nurse's station.

She ran, dodging the flames when they reached for her, and opened the first patient room.

Empty.

She continued this procedure through the whole hallway, being sure to check the bathrooms as well. Finding no one on that floor, Sakura ran down the stairs to the ground floor. The heat here was intense, blistering her skin painfully. No one was in the main area and all the rooms were empty except for one. A young girl, about six years of age was huddled with a young, female nurse in the corner. Flames surrounded them, and the window was just out of the circle of flame. The sprinklers were doing nothing to diffuse this inferno, and Sakura knew she had to act quickly.

Cursing, Sakura leapt up to grab the ceiling fan, hissing when the wood burned her fingers. She spun the fan and propelled herself into the circle with the two girls.

"I'm going to vault you over the flames," she told the nurse comfortingly. The nurse simply nodded, seemingly too stunned to speak. The young girl instantly clung to Sakura's legs when removed from the nurse. Sakura grabbed the young woman by the waist, told her to curl her legs up, and pushed her up and over the wall of fire.

The nurse landed in a heap, but quickly pulled herself up to catch the young girl. Sakura had to pry the girl's fingers from her skirt before tossing her gently to the nurse. Using the fan once again as a tool, Sakura leapt over the flames and led the two girls out into the hallway, just as the ceiling gave in behind them. She looked back to be sure the girls were okay before leading them up the stairs. She left them at floor four to continue her search.

"Go to the roof," she urged them. The fourth floor hadn't been touched by flames yet, and Sakura did a quick sweep of it and found no one. It was the same with the rest of the floors, and she finally made it to the roof. The roof was packed, and Sakura worried for a moment that she wouldn't be able to get everyone off.

Closing her eyes, she concentrated of stringing a thin thread of chakra, and let it dangle to the ground. She tied it around her waist, and started letting people climb down the rope, holding herself in place by focusing chakra in her feet.

After nearly ten minutes everyone was off the roof but a young, brunette woman of about twenty. Just as Sakura was about to lower her down, the ground beneath her buckled. A loud crashing sound followed as the roof fell from beneath them, and they were thrown from the building.

The woman screamed loud and long and they plummeted to the earth below. Stretching, Sakura grabbed her by the back of her shirt and stuck her left foot to the building behind the with the little chakra she had left. She could hear people shrieking from below as she held onto the building precariously. Closing her eyes tightly, Sakura concentrated on controlling her chakra as she walked slowly down the building, the young woman writing frantically in her grasp.

Exhausted, Sakura knew she couldn't carry them both all the way to the ground. Stringing together another rope of chakra, she tied it around the woman's waist and lowered her to the ground carefully. The woman was two stories up from the ground when Sakura's vision began to fade. Quickening her pace, she practically dropped the young woman into waiting arms before her chakra supply gave out, and she plummeted towards the earth.


	5. Chapter 5

Apparently her good luck had run out. As she fell quickly towards the earth, there was no shining knight in green armor to catch her. Hovering on the edge of consciousness, Sakura knew she would die if she couldn't land right. Hopeless, she let her weak frame go limp as she fell, hoping to keep herself flexible enough when she hit the ground to minimize breaking in her bones. About ten feet above the ground she closed her eyes tightly Suddenly, she was snatched up bridal style and lifted to the top of a nearby building.

"Oh, thank goodness, Lee!" she sighed, tucking her face into the chest of her rescuer.

"Lee you say? Would this Lee be the same little pest in a ridiculous green suit that gave me so much trouble?" With renewed strength, Sakura shoved away from the familiar voice, landing on shaky legs as her eyes shot open. Her rescuer was dressed in all black, and looked familiar around his eyes-the only part of him that was showing_._

"Wha…"

"What am I doing? Oh you'll find out soon enough sweetheart. I was so surprised when I saw that my little kunoichi had the strength to help all of those people from the hospital."

"Adre…"

"Adrenaline rush. Yes, I know," he stated, cutting her off.

"Stop that!" she yelled, crouching menacingly. The affect was slightly marred by her shaking knees. Her chakra was still nearly gone, and she knew if it came to a fight, there would be no chance of winning.

"Calm, little cherry blossom. You know as well as I that you're spent. You can't defeat me." Sakura watched, transfixed as the man pulled a kunai from behind him, spinning it on his finger. Realization hit suddenly and Sakura knew where she had seen this ninja before.

"You attacked us in the forest," she said, positive. He merely nodded once, and gestured for someone unseen to come forward. Cautiously, Sakura peered in the direction he was motioning, and gasped. Her knees gave out and she hit the ground, tears pooling in her eyes. She tossed a food pill in her mouth, masking it by throwing both hands over her mouth in surprise.

"Lee!" she screamed hoarsely, choking as sobs began to wrack her body. He was being held aloft by another ninja who was robed in all black. He was unconscious, his face discolored with splotches of black and blue. Streaks of crimson stained his attire, spilling readily from wounds decorating his torso. The second enemy ninja dropped him to the hard roof. Lee's back arched as he writhed in pain.

"No!" Sakura screamed, choking as the smoke filling her lungs was disturbed. She threw herself to her battered hero, pulling him towards her. She cradled his head in her lap, stroking his hair back from his eyes. His eyes fluttered open, and she gasped. Leaping away, she let his head crack on the roof.

"That's not Lee." Anger flashed across the rogues' faces as the Lee look-alike disappeared in a puff of smoke, and emerged as a mere stone. A pair of hands were suddenly around her neck, squeezing away her life. Sakura scrabbled against the gritty roof, tugging at the hands that held her with all her might.

"Lee," she croaked, desperately trying to suck in enough air to scream for help. "Lee!"

The hands that had held her were suddenly gone, and Sakura collapsed, grasping at her throat as she choked in gulps of air.

"You will not get away with that!" The voice was familiar, and even as angry as it was, it provided comfort to Sakura as it washed over Sakura in waves. Sakura's eyes followed a flash of color to find the ninja who had been choking her falling over the edge of the building. They hit the ground with a sickening 'snap.'

There was no screaming.

"Sakura! Are you all right?" Lee glanced back quickly, and Sakura's breath caught. Even streaked with soot and blood his face was beautiful. The concern in his eyes drove straight to her heart, and she fought not to cry. It would only distract him if she showed more weakness. She nodded fiercely, fighting to drag her eyes away from his torso. His jumpsuit had been torn down the middle, exposing a rather large expanse of skin. His muscles rippled as he breathed, and Sakura made a mental note to spy on him while he trained sometime, lest he remove his top.

Lee became a green blur as he attacked, again and again, the remaining rogue. A quick succession of kicks later, Lee had the man pinned to the floor, 3 levels below. Peering through the expansive hole in the roof, Sakura watched as Lee pummeled the man, who seemed to have given up on the fight. Sakura was feeling better, even as she watched the fight. The food pill she had taken had boosted her chakra enough so that she felt strong again.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caught Sakura's attention and she instantly felt sick. The other ninja, the one Sakura had presumed to be dead was climbing through a window silently behind Lee, who took no notice. Acting quickly, Sakura's hands moved quickly in a familiar dance, mumbling familiar words under her breath. Leaping lightly through the hole, Sakura landed to protect Lee just as the other ninja threw a shiruken. The air left Sakura in a whoosh as the sharp tips punctured her skin, drawing blood. As she crumpled, Sakura disappeared in a flash of smoke.

"Where'd she go?" cried the rogue, looking all around as Sakura dropped from the ceiling, landing a solid blow to his face. He smashed through a wall in a shower of debris, a portion of the ceiling falling on him. Satisfied, Sakura turned to help Lee, only to feel a kunai knife plunge into her back. She arched away from the pain, before disappearing again. This time it was the rogues turn to be surprised as cool, sharp metal pressed into his jugular.

"Whoops." Sakura exclaimed in feigned innocence as he fell to the floor. She bent to check his pulse.

"Dead," she exclaimed, plopping to the ground, having exhausted her chakra. Now to watch Lee finish his fight…


	6. Epilogue

Huddled in a corner, Sakura suddenly realized what it meant to fall in love. As Lee stood before her, his stance defensive, almost violent, she had never felt so safe. This made no sense to her, as there was fighting raging all around them and, she realized, she had no clue where her family was. She didn't even know if they were okay. But none of this really mattered in retrospect. The only important thing was the rigid green figure before her, struggling with his obvious instinct to join the fighting merely to stand guard as she rested.

"Lee." Her voice was scarcely a whisper, but Lee's head whipped around nonetheless.

"Sakura?" Worry seeped into his tone, coloring his words with a dark tint.

"Thank you for saving me." The corners of Sakura's mouth upturned with the slightest hint of a smile, while Lee's entire face broke out in an enthusiastic grin. He broke his defensive stance to give Sakura a thumbs up and a wink.

"I will always be there to save you, Sakura." Her smile widened and she nodded firmly.

_Yes_, Sakura thought to herself. _One of these days I'll be the one saving _him._ But I suppose whenever I need him he'll be there for me. He'll never tire of_

Saving Sakura.


End file.
